By John McCallum
Managing Editor 

Church of the Nazarene celebrates 100 years

April 29 service first of three to highlight church's anniversary

 

Last updated 4/26/2018 at 12:40pm

Cheney Church of the Nazarene

The original Cheney Church of the Nazarene from 1952.

Cheney Church of the Nazarene is kicking off a months-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of its founding with a special service this Sunday, April 29. The service begins at 10:30, and includes comments from Rev. Dewayne Price, who served as the church's pastor from 1968-1972; a review of church history, special music and is capped by a potluck beginning at noon.

Church member Chris Kaplan said the service will feature a look at the church's history from its founding in 1918 to the construction of its current building at 338 Betz Road in 1975. The service will be the first of three celebrating the anniversary, with a second celebration July 22 to focus on the church from 1976-2018 and its current mission with a final service Sept. 23 taking a look into the future.

Kaplan has done extensive research into the church's history in the area. The Cheney Church of the Nazarene started in 1917 under the leadership of Rev. J.H. Crocker, and met in a small school house west of Cheney towards Tyler. The church was officially incorporate on Jan. 30, 1918, and is one of the oldest officially documented corporations in the state.

John McCallum

Photo taken April 24. The building is located at the northwest corner of Second and C streets.

In 1918, the congregation purchased land in Cheney at Second and C streets and built its first church. That structure was added to in the 1950s, and still exists today in another use. Kaplan said when the church began in 1918, the world was in turmoil because of events such as World War I and the Spanish Influenza epidemic, which claimed over 50 million lives worldwide.

"At the time, Nazarene services were drawing great crowds of people," Kaplan said of the Cheney church.

The July 22 celebration will feature the opening of a time capsule and keynote presentation by Randy Cracker, Church of the Nazarene district superintendent. In September, Dr. Gustavo A Crocker, general superintendent of the international church, will be the guest speaker.

The public is invited to attend any or all of the upcoming celebration services.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.

Author Bio

John McCallum, Retired editor

John McCallum is an award-winning journalist who retired from Cheney Free Press after more than 20 years. He received 10 Washington Newspaper Publisher Association awards for journalism and photography, including first place awards for Best Investigative, Best News and back-to-back awards in Best Breaking News categories.

 

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